A message from the Ministry for the Environment
Recent flooding in Auckland and the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle across the North Island have had a significant impact on waste and its disposal in the past few weeks. Many affected councils, including Auckland, have responded by providing free, or subsidised waste disposal services, and other support to communities in the early stages of disaster recovery.
You may be aware of the provisions in the Waste Minimisation Act 2008 to waive the waste disposal levy in exceptional circumstances.
How to apply for a waiver of the waste disposal levy:
Under the Waste Minimisation Act 2008, disposal facilities can apply to have a waiver of their levy on waste generated as a result of the impact from the flooding and cyclone events. Applications for the waiver can still be made after levy has been paid on waste resulting from the flooding and cyclone.
The Ministry for the Environment administers the Waste Disposal Levy, which is charged per tonne on waste entering Class 1 (Municipal disposal facility) and Class 2 (Construction and Demolition fill disposal facility) landfills for final disposal. Money raised from the levy is distributed for waste minimisation initiatives, with 50% being distributed directly to territorial authorities.
At present the cost of the levy is $30 per tonne for Class 1 facilities and $20 for Class 2 facilities.
A waiver can be provided in ‘exceptional circumstances’ and each application will be considered on its merits.
Applications will need to show:
· That the specified waste was a result of the flooding event on January 27th or subsequent cyclone.
· The waiver can be returned to those that incurred the cost of disposal.
Contact Levy.Admin@mfe.govt.nz or submit your waiver application directly via the Online Waste Levy System. The Online Waste Levy System (OWLS 2.0): User Guide. (Page 81 provides instructions on how to do this).
If you are experiencing difficulty or think you may have difficulty meeting your reporting or levy obligations due to the flooding or cyclone, please contact MfE as soon as possible so they can help provide solutions.